Stars, Book One: Storm
by Screaming Echoes
Summary: The deputy of ThunderClan was mysteriously murdered during the night. When Stormtail is named deputy of ThunderClan, he makes a vow to discover who is committing these murders. But how far is he willing to go when his own life is threatened? Rated T for safety. Please Read and Review.
1. Prologue

Allegiances

_**ThunderClan**_

Leader: **Rainstar -** pale gray, almost silvery white she-cat with a stripe running along her back; has blue eyes

Deputy: **Stormtail - **gray tom with darker gray tabby stripes and a darker gray tail; has yellow eyes  
_**Apprentice: Winterpaw**_

Medicine Cat: **Grainwhisker -** thin pale brown tom with amber eyes  
_**Apprentice: Nightpaw**_

Warriors:

**Sagetail -** light brown tabby tom with a bushy tail; has amber eyes

**Flareheart -** dark ginger tom with green eyes  
_**Apprentice: Owlpaw**_

**Paleflower -** pale-furred tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

**Mousefoot -** small brown and white she-cat with amber eyes  
_**Apprentice: Dawnpaw**_

**Raventail -** black tom with a darker gray muzzle; has green eyes  
_**Apprentice: Songpaw**_

**Graywhisker -** dark gray tabby tom with yellow eyes

**Gingerheart -** ginger she-cat with bright green eyes

**Maplefur -** golden brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Apprentices:

**Winterpaw -** pure white she-cat with amber eyes

**Nightpaw -** mottled dark gray tabby tom with amber eyes

**Owlpaw -** light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Dawnpaw -** tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

**Songpaw -** dark-furred tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Queens:

**Splashfur -** dappled gray she-cat with amber eyes, mother to Leafkit and Willowkit by Raventail

**Cinderleaf -** dark tabby she-cat with piercing green eyes, mother to Opalkit, Sparrowkit and Brownkit by Sagetail

Elders:

**Burrowgrass -** large ginger and white tom with green eyes

**Dustfur -** gray tabby tom with yellow eyes

Kits:

**Leafkit -** gray and black tom with green eyes

**Willowkit -** dappled gray and black she-cat with amber eyes

**Opalkit -** dark tabby she-cat with green eyes

**Sparrowkit -** ginger and darker ginger tom with amber eyes

**Brownkit -** dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

_**ShadowClan**_

Leader: **Hawkstar -** dark brown tom with a lighter brown underbelly; has amber eyes

Deputy: **Mothpelt -** tawny colored tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cat: **Midnightclaw -** solid black she-cat with dark blue eyes

Warriors:

**Rockbelly -** black tom with a brown underbelly; has green eyes  
_**Apprentice: Shardpaw**_

**Icefur -** gray-blue she-cat with yellow eyes  
_**Apprentice: Larkpaw**_

**Thorntangle -** long-haired golden tabby tom with amber eyes  
_**Apprentice: Patchpaw**_

**Fernstep -** tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes  
_**Apprentice: Ashpaw**_

**Littlefire -** small ginger tom with amber eyes

Apprentices:

**Shardpaw -** spiky-haired mottled brown tom with amber eyes

**Larkpaw -** brown and white she-cat with amber eyes

**Patchpaw -** black and white tom with green eyes

**Ashpaw -** gray and white tom with yellow eyes

Queens:

**Jaypool -** black she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Shadowkit and Pinekit

**Springfoot -** dark brown she-cat with white feet, expecting

Elders:

**Forestclaw -** dark brown and white tom with amber eyes

Kits:

**Shadowkit -** black she-cat with blue eyes

**Pinekit -** black she-cat with gray feet and blue eyes

**_WindClan_**

Leader: **Eaglestar -** black tom with yellow eyes  
_**Apprentice: Nimblepaw**_

Deputy: **Barktail -** light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cat: **Snailfur -** short-haired white she-cat with a gray muzzle; has blue eyes

Warriors:

**Fleetfoot -** black and white tom with amber eyes  
_**Apprentice: Rowanpaw**_

**Badgerfur -** large black and white tom with green eyes

**Crowflight -** ginger, black and white she-cat with amber eyes  
_**Apprentice: Blackpaw**_

**Thistletail -** brown she-cat with black feet and tail; has amber eyes  
_**Apprentice: Whitepaw**_

**Mudfall -** long-haired brown tom with black feet; has amber eyes

Apprentices:

**Whitepaw -** white she-cat with gray ears and tail; has green eyes

**Blackpaw -** black she-cat with white feet and tail; has amber eyes

**Nimblepaw -** tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

**Rowanpaw -** light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Queens:

**Mistlight -** dark gray she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Tigerkit, Mosskit, Frostkit and Sootkit

Elders:

**Echopelt -** mottled brown she-cat with amber eyes

Kits:

**Tigerkit -** dark gray tabby tom with blue eyes

**Mosskit -** gray and white tom with amber eyes

**Frostkit -** pale gray she-cat with pale blue eyes

**Sootkit -** dark gray and white tom with amber eyes

_**RiverClan**_

Leader: **Sandstar -** ginger and white she-cat with green eyes

Deputy: **Rapidriver -** black and gray tabby tom with yellow eyes  
_**Apprentice: Ripplepaw**_

Medicine Cat: **Scorchtail -** light brown tom with a darker brown tail; has amber eyes

Warriors:

**Creekfeather -** silver tabby she-cat with pale green eyes

**Pebbleclaw -** mottled light brown tabby tom with amber eyes  
_**Apprentice: Bubblepaw**_

**Streamfur -** brown she-cat with a white underbelly and light blue eyes

**Lilymist -** very pale gray, almost white she-cat with amber eyes

**Whiskernose -** gray and white tom with amber eyes

Apprentices:

**Ripplepaw -** dark gray tom with a white muzzle; amber eyes

**Bubblepaw -** silver and gray she-cat with blue eyes

Queens:

**Brightstripe -** gray she-cat with a white stripe running along her spine, mother of Birdkit, Frogkit and Beechkit

**Sorrelfern -** tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes, mother of Ivykit and Larchkit

Elders:

**Oakroot -** dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Petaldust -** very old tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

Kits:

**Birdkit -** small tabby tom with a white stripe running along his spine; has amber eyes

**Frogkit -** black and white tom with yellow eyes

**Beechkit -** dark gray tom with a white stripe running along his spine

**Ivykit -** tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes

**Larchkit -** brown she-cat with ginger patches; green eyes

**Prologue**

It was dark outside. Night had fallen quickly over the forest, shrouding the forest into shadows.

A group of cats stood in the base of a stone hollow. They were crowded over the body of a slain Clanmate. Their pelts bristling with alarm, they looked around warily. No one could blame them for the fear that they felt. Every cat was filled with anxiety as they waited for the next victim to come.

A pale gray she-cat was hovering over the body, her ears and whiskers drooped in defeat. Beside her was a young looking gray tom with a darker gray muzzle. His face was a mixture of shock and horror as he looked down upon the body.

"Who could have done this?" the she-cat whispered.

"Someone obviously had the need to... get rid of Quailfeather," the tom replied grimly. "Otherwise this would never have happened."

"Stormtail, you were closest to Quailfeather," the she-cat murmured. "You must know what happened to her."

"I know nothing," Stormtail replied with a shake of his head. "The only thing I do know is that she had fought with Thorntangle of ShadowClan a few days after the Gathering. Maybe that could give us some clues as to what happened?"

"I wish StarClan would tell me what happened," the she-cat rasped. "Perhaps Quailfeather could tell me what happened to her."

Stormtail looked up at the starlit sky. He wished that StarClan would tell his leader, Rainstar, what had happened to Quailfeather. The only signs of murder he could find were two claw marks at the base of her chest. Grainwhisker, the medicine cat, had found the wounds.

"We will do whatever we can to find the killer," Stormtail vowed. Rainstar narrowed her eyes in surprise at his sudden change in heart. He had never been fond of Quailfeather or her ways of dealing with border patrols, but he respected her nonetheless.

"I must name a new deputy before moonhigh," Rainstar murmured.

Without warning she bounded up the slope towards the Highledge. Stormtail looked at his mother in surprise. More cats were beginning to watch Rainstar suspiciously as they wondered who the new deputy would be. No cat could ever replace what Quailfeather had done for the Clan.

"I say these words, before the spirit of Quailfeather and StarClan so that they may hear and approve my choice." Rainstar paused as the Clan fell into a deathly silence. "Stormtail will be my deputy."

Shocked gasps echoed around the hollow. Stormtail's jaw dropped in utter disbelief. Him? Deputy? He just couldn't figure out why Rainstar would choose her own son over the other good choices in the Clan.

Even Flareheart and Sagetail looked dumbfounded as they looked at Rainstar. He hoped this didn't cause a rift between the Clan. The last thing ThunderClan needed was fighting among themselves. With the death of Quailfeather the Clan would need to pull itself out of the shadows that surrounded it.

"Stormtail! Stormtail!" He was even more surprised when Gingerheart was the first to call out his name. The young she-cat had never shown any interest in him, but now he could see the glow in her eyes as she called out his name. Soon others joined in, until a loud cry was swept into the air.

"I... I don't know what to say," he stammered when Rainstar looked at him quizzically. "All I can _really_ say is... I'm nothing like Quailfeather was, but I promise that her memory will be honored. I won't let you down, Rainstar."

"That is all I ask for," Rainstar meowed when she padded down the slope to join him.

Stormtail ducked his head in embarrassment as she gave him a gentle lick between the ears. She had never shown any affection towards him, as it was rare for a she-cat leader to have kits. But Rainstar had an exception. She had been a queen when she was named deputy of ThunderClan.

He shook his head as the Clan sat vigil over Quailfeather's body. He knew that her spirit would not rest until the murderer was found. And he was now more determined than ever to find out who had killed his former deputy.


	2. 1: In The Darkness

Chapter One- In The Darkness

A day had passed since Stormtail was named as ThunderClan deputy. He was still getting used to the idea of organizing patrols and the respect younger cats showed him. Some warriors had shown signs of hostility towards him. The open looks of hatred Flareheart or Sagetail sent him could not have been more obvious. Others such as Gingerheart and Maplefur had been more than ready to accept his position. The two she-cats were looking at him now, eyes narrowed into tiny slits as they began to whisper to each other.

The gray and darker gray tom just shook his head. The last thing he wanted was trouble within his Clanmates, but it seemed as though a rift had already formed between them. Flareheart and Sagetail were sitting in the farthest part of camp, ignoring any patrols he sent them on. Flareheart had even made an attempt to point out that Rainstar was playing favorites. Because Stormtail was her son she was simply choosing him over any other cat who might betray her trust.

_I wouldn't put it past Flareheart if he tried to overthrow me_, he thought with a lash of his tail.

"Stormtail, can we do any battle training today?" His thoughts were interrupted by the enthusiastic mew of his apprentice. Stormtail looked down to see that Winterpaw had approached him warily, as if she didn't know how to treat the new deputy.

"I don't see why we can't," he replied with a shrug. "I've organized all of the patrols and the fresh-kill pile is well stocked."

Winterpaw's eyes glowed with happiness as he rose to his paws. He chose not to tell Flareheart, the senior warrior, where he was going. The dark ginger tom might try to take advantage over his absence. He wasn't surprised to see Owlpaw, Flareheart's apprentice looking down at his paws in disappointment.

"Owlpaw, why don't you come with us?" Stormtail called. The apprentice looked at him in surprise. "We could use extra paws for battle training."

The light brown tabby was at his side in an instant. Stormtail forced back the urge to smirk when he noticed the glare Flareheart sent him. If the senior warrior wasn't going to take Owlpaw's training seriously than he would.

Once they were outside the forest he felt at peace. He had not gone out with his apprentice since the night Quailfeather's body was found. He could still remember the sense of dread he felt when Grainwhisker announced that she was dead. A warrior had killed her by the WindClan border. No cat knew who had caused her death, and Stormtail had originally thought it was a ShadowClan cat who killed her. He was determined to find out who had killed Quailfeather.

When they reached the sandy training hollow Owlpaw was the first to make his move. Stormtail was impressed with the way he ducked and rolled as Winterpaw took a swipe at his muzzle. When Owlpaw's belly was exposed Winterpaw jabbed her paws at it. The light brown tabby gasped in surprise at Winterpaw's sudden change in position. He struck Winterpaw by the shoulder with his teeth and held her down. Both apprentices were panting by the time they were finished.

"You did well," Stormtail meowed when he broke them apart. "Although springing into action right away is sometimes not the best choice. I'd recommend judging how large your opponent is before you strike."

Owlpaw tilted his head to one side and nodded. "Winterpaw, you're great!" he purred.

"You weren't bad either, Owlpaw," Winterpaw murmured in embarrassment. "Can we try that again?"

When Owlpaw gave a tiny nod Winterpaw beamed. The two of them continued practicing their fighting moves well past sunhigh. Stormtail watched from the side lines, content with the way his apprentice had grown up.

Winterpaw had been training for almost six moons now. She was long overdue for becoming an apprentice, but she had a good reason for waiting so long. Just a moon ago she had only recovered from a near fatal injury that could have killed her. It was only thanks to the help of Grainwhisker and Nightpaw that she survived today. No signs of her injury were visible either. She had a slight limp to her leg every now and than, but that was about it.

Once they were finished Stormtail told them to go hunting. Even though the fresh-kill pile had been restocked the other day, he knew it would be almost empty by the time they returned. It wouldn't hurt to find any prey lingering in the forest.

The gray and darker gray tom slipped away from the training hollow after he told them to meet him there by dusk. It was well past sunhigh now, which gave them little time to search for prey. He on the other paw had already found sources of prey hiding about in the undergrowth.

His ears were pricked forward with keen interest as he spotted a squirrel nibbling on an acorn it had found under an oak tree. The squirrel was too interest in the acorn to notice that it had caught the attention of a predator. He kept low to the ground; his tail brushed against the ground occasionally, but the squirrel's chewing was too noisy for it to hear. Without hesitating he sprang forward, claws colliding into the rump of the squirrel. It dropped the acorn and squealed in alarm, but by than it was too late. He dealt the killing bite by snapping it's neck.

When he returned to the training hollow with the squirrel he saw that Winterpaw had come back as well. At her paws were two mice and a shrew. Her expression was filled with pride when he gave her a gentle lick between the ears.

"I wonder where Owlpaw could have gotten to?" he asked when they waited long after it got dark out.

"He and I went in different directions," Winterpaw explained with a shrug. "I'm not sure where he went."

There was the slightest hint of worry in Winterpaw's mew. Stormtail looked down at his apprentice before his eyes scanned the darkness. The whole forest was surrounded in shadows. By now the sun had disappeared, and it was difficult to see without having the keen eyesight ShadowClan was known for.

_Did something happen to him_? Stormtail wondered as he gave a guilty shake of his head.

_You must follow your heart_, _Stormtail_. Stormtail stiffened when he heard the voice. He looked down at Winterpaw, but she just gave a loud yawn. _You made a promise that you would avenge my death_... _I will hold your word to it_, _and I will help you find Owlpaw. He is my son after all_.

Stormtail tilted his head in confusion. He recognized that voice. Suddenly his eyes widened when he realized it belonged to Quailfeather. Only she would have known that Owlpaw was her son. No other cat had known she secretly gave birth and gave up her kits to become deputy.

_Quailfeather_... _I'm so sorry about what happened_, he whimpered.

_Stop acting like a sniveling coward and think about where Owlpaw could have gone_! Quailfeather snapped. _Now_, _where do you think his favorite place to hide is_?

_Flareheart never gave me any hints_. _But I think the WindClan border was his favorite place to go because of the stream_. Stormtail tried to swallow those words after realizing that was where Quailfeather's body had been found. A sudden blast of fury had been swept over him when Quailfeather heard that.

_Yes_, _I remember taking him there on several occasions_, she whispered softly. _That in itself was my second mistake_.

Stormtail wanted to ask her what her first mistake had been, but he held his tongue. He looked down at Winterpaw, who looked like she was ready to fall asleep. With a sigh he gave his apprentice a sharp nudge with his nose.

"We need to get back to camp," he murmured.

"But what about Owlpaw?" Winterpaw asked. Her voice was muffled by a half-yawn as she tried to keep it hidden.

"I'll go find him on my own," he reassured her. "For now you need to get some rest, you're exhausted."

Winterpaw made no complaints after that. He managed to carry the fresh-kill that she had caught while keeping an eye out for Owlpaw.

The moon was out by the time they made it back to camp. Every cat was worried when they came back. Winterpaw was greeted by Nightpaw, who glared at Stormtail coldly. He simply ignored the glare and dropped the fresh-kill on the pile.

"Owlpaw's missing," he announced after reaching Rainstar.

The ThunderClan leader's eyes widened in dismay.

"We were training and I decided to make them go hunting... I guess he... got lost," Stormtail confessed.

"It's not your fault," Rainstar whispered. "You were only doing what you thought was a good thing."

Her words didn't reassure him. They only made him feel worse.

"I think I know where to look for him though," he added when a deathly silence fell between them. "Would you mind if I went on my own?"

"Why on your own?" Rainstar raised an eyebrow, looking more worried than annoyed.

"It's... it's important," he replied.

Rainstar nodded and touched his muzzle with her forehead. He stiffened under her touch. He could feel the mutinous glares of his Clanmates as they watched them.

"May StarClan guide you to him safely," she whispered.

Stormtail blinked when she pulled away. He had not heard those words since he became a warrior. Rainstar had already padded up the slope to her den behind the Highledge.

With a sigh he turned towards the thorn tunnel, but he was stopped by Gingerheart. The ginger she-cat's eyes were glowing with something other than friendship when she looked at him. Stormtail shuffled his paws in embarrassment as he felt his fur grow hot.

"I was wondering if you could use an extra paw in your search," she murmured.

"I'm not sure if that's a..." He broke off when her ears flattened. "Actually I could use a keen nose like yours," he added quickly. "You're one of the best trackers I know."

Gingerheart looked as though she was ready to burst with pride at his words. Together the two of them left in search for Owlpaw. He knew it was risky to bring Gingerheart along, but Quailfeather did not tell him he could bring an extra Clanmate with him.

Their world was plunged into darkness as they crept through the undergrowth. Stormtail could only rely on Gingerheart now that his sight had failed him. He could hear frogs croaking in the distance. The land where ShadowClan lived in was covered in marsh, which was ideal habitat for frogs. He wondered how Gingerheart could stand it as she listened to the sounds.

"We're getting closer," she whispered after she had been silent for so long. She suddenly reached a bush behind a birch tree. The bush itself was twisted and gnarled in places where it had dried out. Stormtail was afraid that one touch with his paw would shatter it to pieces. "That's strange," she murmured after coming to a halt. "His scent ends here but it's..." She trailed off after realizing what the other scent was. Stormtail didn't miss the stench either.

_Blood_, was all he could think of.

"Oh StarClan, what could have happened to him?" Stormtail demanded when he bounded towards the source of the scent.

Gingerheart was quick to follow him. He nosed the frail looking body gingerly, hoping for signs of life. Owlpaw's fur was coated in blood now. The stench of it was overwhelming, and all he could think of was who could have done such a thing.

"I smell WindClan as well," Gingerheart snarled. The venom in her voice was so strong that it seemed to cause the ground to tremble.

"They must have found him and attacked without warning," Stormtail hissed. He noticed patches of fur where the fight had occurred.

_Owlpaw must have gone hunting here_, he realized. _What a mousebrained thing to do_!

"Didn't Flareheart tell him not to hunt so close to the border?" Gingerheart scoffed.

"I doubt it," Stormtail replied with a shake of his head. "Flareheart has been shirking on his duties as a mentor."

Gingerheart's pelt brushed against his. Once again he was reminded of how much she had changed since she became an apprentice. He stiffened under her touch and picked Owlpaw up carefully. The apprentice groaned when he was picked up, and Stormtail noticed the claw marks and teeth bites around his body.

_Who ever did this will pay_, he thought bitterly. _No cat deserves to be wounded like this. Owlpaw will forever be scarred_.

When they returned to camp the Clan was in an uproar. Rainstar had been woken from her sleep when she heard the commotion from outside her den. Owlpaw's body had been taken back to the medicine cat's den after they came back.

"Who did this?" Rainstar demanded.

"All we know for sure is that he was found in the same place Quailfeather was found," Gingerheart explained. "He must have been hunting close to the border." She glared at Flareheart accusingly, but the dark ginger tom returned her glare.

"Are you blaming me for something that the deputy did?" he snarled. "I wasn't the one who told him to go hunting."

Stormtail bristled at his words, but Gingerheart jumped to his defense. "And who is it who tells their apprentices not go hunting in certain places?" she demanded. "You should have been more keen on where your apprentice goes hunting!"

"Enough!" Rainstar's cry made all of her Clan silent. "I see now that we can deal no punishment. For now I want you to work hard on training your apprentice, Flareheart, if he even recovers." The dark ginger warrior flinched when she mentioned 'if'.

Now he fully understood the condition of his apprentice. Stormtail just hoped it wasn't too late for Flareheart to ask for forgiveness. Owlpaw's fate was in the paws of StarClan now.

Once the meeting was drawn to an end Stormtail found himself returning to the warrior's den. Gingerheart was quick to follow, ignoring the mutinous look her father gave her. Stormtail was shocked by how Flareheart had reacted when Gingerheart stood up to him. Yet he was glad that one cat supported him even now.

He was exhausted by the time he curled up in his nest. It had been a long day for him, especially with the evening trek he had to take. He welcomed the warmth Gingerheart provided as she curled up beside him. For the first time in moons he had accepted her approval, and was happy to have someone to sleep beside.

* * *

**AN: Wow I'm surprised at how popular this is already. Three reviews! And this chapter is just the beginning of the longness...if that's even a word. I'm aiming for sixty K, or one hundred K if that's possible. Anyways, I'll need all of the support I can get for this series. Thanks to MaeVin194, Nicki Anne, and Tallstar07 for your reviews! You've all received Quailfeather plushies!**


	3. 2: Ranistar's Decision

Chapter Two- Rainstar's Decision

The following day had added more stress on Stormtail's shoulders. He learned that Owlpaw's injuries had been severe, but the young apprentice would live. But that didn't mean his life was getting any easier.

Flareheart had made it his life's ambition to make Stormtail as miserable as it could possible have become. The gray and darker gray tom tried to avoid Flareheart when ever it was possible, but there were times when the dark ginger warrior was unavoidable. Spending time with Gingerheart wasn't making things any easier. He noticed just how angry Flareheart had gotten when he shared tongues with Gingerheart in the early morning.

"It's nice to spend time with others who aren't controlled by my father," Gingerheart sighed as she shared a mouse with him.

"It must be difficult for you," Stormtail replied.

"I know he cares for me, but there are times when I wish Flareheart would just let me go. He has Maplefur to care about too." Gingerheart sounded angrier this time, digging her claws into the mouse's body.

Stormtail didn't know what to say about that. He could see Maplefur was a pretty she-cat, but she wasn't nearly as beautiful as Gingerheart was to him. With a guilty shake of his head he rose to his paws and finished the mouse that she had torn apart with her angry claws.

"I need to join the sunhigh patrol," he meowed after a moment of silence passed between them.

"Would you like me to join it?" Gingerheart asked with a tilt of her head.

He thought about that for a moment. He'd spent more time with her now than he ever had as a warrior. Of course Gingerheart was still a young warrior, but they were only a couple of moons apart. Then he shook his head when he realized that it would only anger Flareheart further if they went off on their own.

"I think you should spend some time with Flareheart," he murmured. "Maybe you can convince him that it's not a bad thing... spending time with another tom."

Gingerheart raised an eyebrow at that. Then she smirked and flicked her tail across his shoulder.

"Of course, if I tell him what I truly want than he'll have no choice but to let me go," she purred.

He watched as she padded across the clearing. Flareheart looked surprised when she sat down beside him. Eventually the two of them began to chatter. Hope flared within Stormtail's chest as he joined the sunhigh patrol. If Gingerheart used the right words than perhaps Flareheart would take it easy on him from now on.

Winterpaw was quick to join Stormtail as he waited for the other three cats who were leaving with him. Graywhisker, Paleflower and Maplefur had been chosen to join the sunhigh patrol. All three cats looked exhausted, but with so few paws to carry out warrior duties they needed to work extra hard. Stormtail himself had been pulling around extra weight in an effort to prove that he was ready to become their deputy.

Once all four of them were together, the group went off as though it was business as usual. Winterpaw's tail flicked from side to side happily as she scanned the ferns and bushes for signs of an invasion. Stormtail couldn't help but purr as he watched her. She reminded him of himself when he was younger. As an apprentice he used to believe that there were enemy warriors hidden in every corner of the territory. Now he knew that they knew better than to live off of some other Clan's territory.

Maplefur and Paleflower were quietly talking, both seemed rather close to each other as they spoke. Stormtail found it hard to believe that they were related. Paleflower was from the same litter as Flareheart and Sagetail. Mousefoot was from that same litter. It was unusual for a queen to have four kits, but their mother had, and they became formidable together. Flareheart's mate had died giving birth to her kits the same night that Mousefoot and Paleflower became warriors. It was a terrible tragedy that most cats would have rather avoided.

_I hope that doesn't happen to Gingerheart_, he thought with a lash of his tail. _Why am I suddenly so concerned about her_? he suddenly wondered when they reached the ShadowClan border.

Confusion seeped within Stormtail as he watched the border cautiously. He knew Gingerheart had feelings for him... so why was it so difficult for him to admit that he had feelings for her? When he looked at Maplefur he was reminded of how similar the two cats were. Did Maplefur know about his feelings for her?

"Looks like there's no signs of ShadowClan," Graywhisker meowed as he sprayed the border.

"Good, the last thing we need is more border trouble," Paleflower muttered with a shake of her head.

"It is odd though... most of the time ShadowClan is more than ready to jump into battle," Maplefur mewed with a shrug.

"Maybe they've had more trouble this leafbare than they were letting on at the last Gathering," Stormtail said as he eyed the border cautiously. Beside him Winterpaw's tail was quivering as she stood still. He knew that she was ready to jump to a fight if it ever came to that.

When silence met his words he confirmed that there were no traces of enemy warriors in the area. He was thankful for that. The last thing ThunderClan needed was more fights, especially after losing Quailfeather and possibly her son.

The group made it back to camp safely without much news. Stormtail made a full report of his patrol to Rainstar, who listened intently. The pale gray she-cat was pleased to hear that ShadowClan wasn't the ones causing trouble for once. It was mostly WindClan that her Clan needed to worry about now.

"I saw how frail looking Hawkstar was at the last Gathering," Rainstar meowed after he was finished telling her what had happened. "I wouldn't be surprised if he was on his last life."

"What will ShadowClan do when they lose their leader?" A shudder coursed down his spine when he imagined the noble Hawkstar falling. He could remember Hawkstar as ShadowClan's deputy, saving his Clanmates from the wrath of Snakestar.

"Mothpelt is a good deputy, but he is inexperienced in the ways of leading a Clan," Rainstar replied with a sigh. "I hope that he chooses a good deputy who will reason with him."

_I have a feeling she's talking about me_, he thought bitterly.

"Why did you name me as your deputy?" he demanded hoarsely.

Rainstar flinched as though a stone had been thrown in her direction. For a moment he feared that she might falter in her appearance. Then she quickly shook her head and recollected herself before allowing it to become obvious.

"Quailfeather and I both decided long ago that you were the best choice for the roll of my deputy," she murmured. Her voice was soft enough that no cat would hear her, whether or not they were spying on them. "When I spoke to her I was shocked. I thought of how inexperienced you were... how you have made foolish decisions in your past." This time it was Stormtail's turn to wince. He remembered the time he led a patrol to fight a fox without realizing how large it really was. That had been a dark day for ThunderClan. "Yet she has told me time and time again of your loyalty to ThunderClan. She knew that you would not turn against me or your Clanmates."

Stormtail looked down at his paws. Now he felt guiltier than ever for what he had done in the past.

"She really said that about me?" he asked. When Rainstar gave a nod his shoulders began to tremble. "I... I made a promise that night she was found dead... I promised I would find out who murdered her," he whispered.

Rainstar pressed forward and touched his forehead with her muzzle. "I hope and pray that you find the murderer... for a Clan should not have to suffer at the paws of a cat who knows no bounds."

The two of them held each others gaze for what felt like moons. Eventually it was Stormtail who gave a tiny cough before nuzzling his mother affectionately. Rainstar seemed taken aback by his sudden affection, but she returned it with a gentle lick.

"I could not have been more proud of you, my son," she rasped.

When they were finished speaking Stormtail gave his leader and mother a dip of his head. It was the least he could do to show her signs of respect.

He made his way down the slope to see that most of the Clan had already returned to their nests. Only Gingerheart was still awake, remaining a loyal friend as ever. Stormtail met her gaze and saw that there was a hint of anger within them.

"He's beyond reasoning," she hissed when she approached him. "I tried talking it out with him, but he's just so... so..." She closed her eyes and her fur fluffed up with anger.

"It's alright," Stormtail murmured. "He has no control over you... you're allowed to make your own choices."

Her gaze clouded over with fear as she pressed her muzzle against his shoulder. "But what if... what if he tries to hurt you? I'd never forgive myself."

Stormtail had never thought about that. He looked down at his paws, suddenly aware that Flareheart could do more than just tamper with his heart. If the dark ginger warrior suddenly decided to take his anger out on Gingerheart, Stormtail would be left with nothing.

"I won't let him hurt me, or you," he promised.

Gingerheart met his gaze and saw the truth in his eyes. "I hope you're right," she sighed.

As the two of them returned to their nests, Stormtail felt little comfort in the darkness. He felt as though it was collapsing on him, surrounding him like a veil. What would happen if the Clan suddenly turned on him? Rainstar would have no other choice but to revoke his right as her deputy. Perhaps that was Flareheart's goal. Perhaps Flareheart was planning on turning the Clan against him. Either way he wasn't safe with the senior warrior around.

* * *

**AN: This chapter wasn't as long as my others, and I don't think it's nearly as good, but it's better than nothing. Thanks to The Mist Account and Kestrelfeather for reviewing! I'm really happy with the way this is going... and don't worry, it's not all about romance and gooshy stuff. I'd have it in the romance section if it were. But for now we're just doing character building. Next chapter might be up later tonight if I get bored, which will likely happen.**


	4. 3: Ambitious

Chapter 3- Ambitious

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Stormtail was startled from his thoughts when Rainstar called for a Clan meeting. He glanced around the warrior's den warily. Gingerheart and Maplefur were already gone, along with the rest of their Clanmates.

He had forgotten that it was time for Winterpaw's warrior ceremony. A few days had passed since his chat with Rainstar. In those few days he had decided to leave Gingerheart alone in the hopes that Flareheart would forget about him. Yet it seemed to only make things worse as Gingerheart tried her hardest to spend time with him. She'd even spent her time with him during Winterpaw's assessment.

Stormtail spotted Winterpaw standing in the middle of the crowd. Her pelt had been groomed during the morning by her mother, Splashfur. Though Splashfur had kits of her own to take care of now, she was also Winterpaw and Nightpaw's mother. Taking care of kits was something that she was best at.

"It is time one of our apprentices has become a warrior," Rainstar began as she looked down upon her Clan. Stormtail stalked forward until he sat between Paleflower and Graywhisker. Both cats remained icily silent while they listened. "Stormtail, do you believe that your apprentice is ready to become a warrior?"

"She has passed all of my expectations," Stormtail replied. He tried to force back a purr when Winterpaw beamed at his words.

"Then I, Rainstar, leader of ThunderClan call upon my warrior ancestors so that they may look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Winterpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." There was no hesitation in her mew, though Stormtail could see from the way she looked that she was more than ready for this moment.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Winterpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Winterfur, in honor of your snow-white fur. StarClan honors you for your courage and energy, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

Winterfur's eyes glowed with happiness as she tried out her new name.

"Winterfur! Winterfur!" The Clan cheered her new name, as did her brother, Nightpaw. Stormtail did not notice how he had slipped away from his mentor's watchful gaze to watch the ceremony.

"Now you must sit vigil until morning," Rainstar murmured as she leaped down from the Highledge. "And it is time we left for the Gathering."

Stormtail had almost forgotten it was time for the Gathering to start. He looked up at the sky to see that dusk had settled in quickly. Beside him Gingerheart had stood, her eyes glowing with happiness as she looked at Winterfur.

"She deserves to become a warrior," Gingerheart mewed as she watched the Clan gather around the thorn tunnel.

"It helps that she had a good mentor." Stormtail joked around and puffed out his chest as if to prove his point. Gingerheart purred and swatted his muzzle with a paw.

"If you're quiet finished, we have a Gathering to attend." Rainstar's mew broke their playful gesture. Embarrassment washed over Stormtail when he realized that the whole Clan was watching. He wasn't surprised by the cold look of fury within Flareheart's eyes.

The group made their way quickly through the forest. It consisted of four cats in total; a small group for a Gathering night. Of course that didn't include the elders and apprentices, but it was still small to Stormtail. The Clan itself had suffered during leafbare by losing so many loyal warriors. Greencough had infected many warriors, killing them off one by one. The only way to save those who did not have greencough was by forcing the victims to stay outside of camp, where the sickness wouldn't spread.

_I lost so many friends that way_, Stormtail thought. He'd lost his father, Jumpfoot that way as well. He did not know much about Jumpfoot, as the long-legged warrior did not spend much time with his son when he had been alive. Yet Stormtail couldn't help wondering what it would have been like to see the look on Jumpfoot's face when he became deputy.

Most of the stars were out by the time they reached the island. Mousefoot and Raventail took the lead after Stormtail slowed his pace. Dawnpaw and Songpaw were at the back of the crowd. He knew that they were feeling guilty for leaving their brother behind, but they didn't have much of a choice. Owlpaw's injuries were slowly recovering, but the apprentice had not yet woken from his traumatic event.

Stormtail's nose wrinkled when he caught the scent of WindClan in the air. Rainstar's tail was raised in alarm as she led the group across the treebridge. Gingerheart brushed against Stormtail's flank as he stalked across the fallen tree. By now moss and lichen had crawled around the tree's bark, along with moons worth of decay. He was surprised it could bare any weight, let alone the elders.

"Rainstar, it is good to see you." A black tom suddenly approached the ThunderClan leader as she reached the island. His yellow eyes glowed in the darkness. More cats from WindClan joined him as the ThunderClan patrol circled the island. "I was wondering if you would come."

"And why would you wonder that?" Rainstar demanded. Her voice was cold and smooth, reminding Stormtail of how she had acted when Quailfeather's body was found at the WindClan border.

"No reason... I heard what happened to Quailfeather," the black tom sneered. "She was a strong warrior... but apparently she wasn't strong enough."

Stormtail's claws unsheathed as he glared at the black tom. He noticed how the WindClan cats backed away, their pelts bristling with fear as their leader spoke. Eaglestar had always been ambitious, and this was just the way he normally acted.

"And how would you know what happened to Quailfeather?" The question came from Burrowgrass, one of the ThunderClan elders. The ginger and white tom was glaring at Eaglestar, his pale green eyes bright with hostility.

"We heard one of your warriors mention it," snapped a light brown tabby tom with amber eyes. Stormtail recognized him as Barktail, WindClan's deputy.

Tension rose in the air as Rainstar held Eaglestar's gaze. Stormtail had never felt more relieved when he heard a yowl coming from the treebridge. RiverClan had arrived just in time.

He looked over his shoulder to see the large group making their way across the island. The group was led by a skinny looking ginger and white she-cat with piercing green eyes. Her muzzle was held high as she led them into the clearing.

"If there's a fight to be fought save it for when the Gathering is over," she growled.

A black and gray tabby tom was quick to follow her as she climbed into the Ancient Oak. Stormtail forced back a sigh of relief as he followed Rainstar. Eaglestar and Barktail kept pace with them, never wavering their gazes as they glared at the two ThunderClan cats.

"Stormtail, where is Quailfeather?" The black and gray tabby tilted his head to one side in concern.

"You'll find out soon enough, Rapidriver," Stormtail replied with a dip of his head.

"I heard you've been having trouble with WindClan lately... we've been having trouble as well," Rapidriver whispered as he crept closer to Stormtail. Barktail was on the other side of the tree, listening to the words of what his own Clanmates were whispering.

"Have they been causing fights?" Stormtail asked.

"No, but it's getting close to that," the RiverClan deputy murmured with a shake of his head. "They've never been this ambitious before... I think Eaglestar is poisoning their minds."

Stormtail couldn't help but nod in agreement. Once again he was reminded of how close they had been to starting a fight. It was only thanks to Sandstar that the WindClan cats had backed away.

"So you're ThunderClan deputy now... how does it feel?" Rapidriver changed the subject, much to Stormtail's relief.

"It feels... wrong," he admitted with a sigh. "Quailfeather should be up here, not me. I'm not ready to become the deputy, and my Clanmates know it."

"It takes time to get used to the feeling," Rapidriver meowed with a shrug.

Another yowl sounded as ShadowClan made their arrival apparent. Both deputies remained silent as Hawkstar padded through the crowd that parted ways. The ShadowClan leader looked as though he had recovered from what ever sickness Rainstar had detected. His amber eyes were as cold as ever as he bounded towards the Ancient Oak.

Stormtail was surprised to see a young looking gray-blue she-cat approach them. Her pale yellow eyes reminded him of the way Eaglestar had looked when he glared at Rainstar coldly. Was this another sign of a takeover? He tried not to think about it as she joined Barktail on the other side of the tree.

"I believe it is time for the Gathering to begin," Hawkstar, the oldest of the four leaders, rasped.

Silence met his words as he prepared to speak. The ShadowClan leader was always the first to speak at a Gathering. There was no reason as to why he had chosen this rule. The Clans just accepted it out of respect for what he had been through.

"ShadowClan has recovered from the greencough that has infected us for so long," Hawkstar began after collecting himself. "I am sad to say that Mothpelt, my brave and loyal deputy, has gone to join StarClan after he could no longer fight infection. Icefur is now my deputy." Gasps of surprise followed his words, and Stormtail noticed how Icefur's chest puffed with pride as she looked out onto the crowd. "On the other paw, we have two new warriors who could not make it to the Gathering tonight. Shardpelt and Larksong have become warriors."

"Shardpelt! Larksong!" It was mostly ShadowClan and WindClan who cheered their names on. The rest remained eerily silent as the cheering died down. Stormtail flattened his ears in disapproval. It seemed the two Clans were favoring each other.

"ThunderClan has thrived during this past moon," Rainstar announced. "I will, however, announce that Quailfeather was found dead at the edge of WindClan's border." Stormtail was not surprised to see the shocked expression on the ShadowClan and RiverClan warrior's faces. "And just days after her death, one of our apprentices, Owlpaw, was found almost dead. His injuries are severe, but he will survive. I would like to know why this keeps happening, Eaglestar." She kept her gaze focused on the WindClan leader, who bore his fangs in defiance.

"I do not know why you would accuse me of such terrible crimes," he spat. "I have done no such thing."

"Are you willing to admit this under the watchful gaze of StarClan?" Rainstar demanded.

Stormtail noticed how most of the WindClan cats were bristling now at her words. He hoped and prayed this wouldn't end in bloodshed. The last thing the Clans needed was more hatred and tension surrounding them.

"We have done no such thing," Eaglestar repeated himself. "As for WindClan's news, we have thrived as well. We have two new warriors; Whitewhisker and Blackflower are both here." This time a deathly silence followed his words. Stormtail spotted the two young warriors among the crowd. Whitewhisker was staring at her paws, while Blackflower simply looked furious that no cat had cheered her name. "That is all I have to report."

_Rainstar didn't even get the chance to mention Winterfur's ceremony_, Stormtail thought angrily. _Eaglestar jumped in before she could finish her report_.

"RiverClan is fairing well," Sandstar meowed after narrowing her eyes at the arguing cats. "We have three new apprentices, a queen has given birth, and the fish are keeping us fit. We pray that greenleaf is just as fortunate to us." Sandstar finished her report by announcing that a badger had been found and chased out of the territory, but it headed in the opposite direction of the other Clans.

With that the Gathering had come to an end. Stormtail was still annoyed with the way Eaglestar had handled things. Rainstar didn't even have the chance to explain who her new deputy was either. Yet he was happy that she had not made him the center of attention.

_I'm not one to take attention for granted_, he reminded himself.

After everything was said and done, the Clan returned to camp without much trouble. A few WindClan cats had stayed behind to throw some insults in their direction, but the Clan was wise enough to ignore them. Stormtail promised himself that no matter what happened, WindClan would pay for the way they had acted tonight. It was just like Rapidriver had told him: Eaglestar was slowly poisoning the minds of his Clanmates, and he needed to be stopped.


	5. 4: Long Claws

Chapter 4- Long Claws

It was the morning after the Gathering. Stormtail's mind was still fuzzy after he tried to understand what had happened. He recalled what Eaglestar had done during the Gathering, and the tension that had filled the air. Part of Stormtail wished that he could claw away that smirk on Eaglestar's face when the WindClan leader had faced Rainstar.

_It doesn't make sense what WindClan has become_, he thought as the haze in his head cleared. Beside him slept Gingerheart, whose flanks rose and fell softly with each breath she took. Stormtail gave her a longing look before shaking his head. There was no need to anger Flareheart any further than he already was. Gingerheart had been distraught to find that he could care less about who she loved. He was truly furious that she was in love with the ThunderClan deputy.

Stormtail emerged from the warrior's den and was welcomed by warm sunlight. His first instinct was to grab some fresh-kill before the day was started. But he knew that there was one thing he needed to do before he started his day. If Owlpaw woke up maybe the apprentice could tell him who had attacked. Owlpaw would have seen who had attacked him since he had survived.

With a gruff shake of his head the gray and darker gray tom trotted across the clearing. He wasn't surprised to see that Grainwhisker was awake already. The old medicine cat had been alive before Rainstar had even become deputy. The silver lining along his muzzle were signs of his old age, but nothing else gave it away. His amber eyes were bright and focused when he realized that Stormtail had come to visit him.

"Is something wrong with Gingerheart?" he asked with a tilt of his head. Stormtail's ears burned with embarrassment almost instantly. Was it becoming that obvious? "I'm only... joking, as the younger cats would call it. I'm sure you've come to check on Owlpaw," Grainwhisker rasped after purring at his own amusement.

"He's still asleep, but he woke up earlier," Nightpaw mewed when Stormtail approached the apprentice. "I'm afraid he might not make it after all."

_StarClan_,_ let him live_, Stormtail shouted in his mind. Owlpaw was his only hope of finding out who had murdered Quailfeather.

"Has he said anything about who attacked him?" Stormtail asked when Grainwhisker slipped into the den.

"The only thing he mutters in his sleep is... that there are claws digging into his chest," Grainwhisker replied with a shudder.

Stormtail's pelt stood on end with horror. He realized that this was going to be more difficult than he'd first thought.

"I suppose we're just lucky that he survived at all," Stormtail murmured with a shake of his head.

"Yes, but how lucky are we? He may have been traumatized for life," Nightpaw pointed out. The black tom's fur was fluffed up with frustration as he looked down at the younger apprentice.

_It's hard to believe that Nightpaw is still an apprentice_, Stormtail thought. _He acts so much like his mentor_.

When he realized he was no longer welcome in the den, Stormtail mewed his goodbye to Grainwhisker. He wasn't surprised to see that Winterfur was still keeping an eye on the thorn tunnel, despite the fact that morning had arrived.

With a shake of his head he padded forward and approached his former apprentice warily. Winterfur looked over her shoulder when she heard his approach, but she remained mute.

"You can speak now, your vigil is over," he meowed with a dip of his head.

"I thought it would never end," Winterfur sighed. "I'm tired of just standing here."

"Did the moonhigh patrol bring any news?" Stormtail asked as she followed him towards the fresh-kill pile.

"Nothing much... they were just whispering something that I couldn't hear," Winterfur replied with a shrug.

"Why don't you get some rest, it was a long night for you after all," Stormtail told her when she forced back a yawn.

Winterfur looked like she was about to protest, than thought better of it. She closed her mouth and sighed before padding back towards the apprentice's den. Amusement washed over Stormtail when she realized her mistake. With a shake of her head she staggered towards the warrior's den and slipped inside.

By now it was well past dawn, and most cats were awake. Flareheart and Sagetail were sitting together as usual, with Maplefur at their side. Mousefoot was leading Dawnpaw out of the camp for battle training, as she usually did every morning. Raventail had ordered Songpaw to clean out the elder's den just after the Gathering when she tried to provoke WindClan into a fight. The tortoiseshell was fuming now as she carried wads of moss out of the den.

Shaking his head in amusement, Stormtail realized that there wasn't much for him to do now that Winterfur was a warrior. Normally he would have taken her out by now for hunting lessons or battle training. It was strange to come out of the habit that they had formed together.

He wasn't surprised when Gingerheart emerged from the warrior's den. Moss still clung to her ears as she forced back a yawn. Her green eyes gleamed with excitement when she padded over to his side.

"I'm in the mood for hunting," she murmured after shaking the scraps of moss from her ears. "Wanna come with me?"

"Of course," he replied without hesitating.

Gingerheart's tail flicked from side to side as she led the way out of camp. Stormtail didn't miss the cold look of fury when he passed Flareheart. His daughter had every right to go hunting, and she was a full warrior now.

Stormtail tried not to think about the fight between father and daughter as he bounded after her. Once they were in the forest he felt alive again. The birds were singing as usual, and the sun warmed his pelt like it always did. Gingerheart had taken the lead towards the Sky Oak, where squirrels were plentiful. Mice often came to see if there were any smaller seeds or grains of grass growing around the tree.

When they reached the Sky Oak he saw that Gingerheart was already putting her tracking skills to use. Her ears were pricked forward and her jaw was opened to taste the air for signs of prey. Stormtail was the first to find a squirrel hunched over an acorn it had found. It's bushy tail quivered every now and than. It's focus was locked with the acorn as it continued nibbling on it. Stormtail waved his own tail for silence as Gingerheart had noticed the squirrel. She remained still as he stalked towards it. In a flash he had the squirrel gripped between his claws. It squealed in alarm and struggled to break free.

He gave it a killing blow before the squirrel could make any other noises. With the squirrel dangling limply from his jaws, Stormtail turned to face Gingerheart.

"You're a good hunter," she sniffed.

"But you're a good tracker," he reminded her when he noticed her whiskers droop slightly.

"True. I was able to find Owlpaw... he could have died if I hadn't," she mewed.

Stormtail brushed her muzzle with his own. He knew that she was still feeling guilty for what had happened to Owlpaw. It wasn't her fault. He shouldn't have sent the apprentice hunting on his own. Owlpaw's inexperience had shown the moment he hunted close to the WindClan border.

When the two of them were finished hunting Stormtail felt relieved. Gingerheart's earlier jealousy had faded when she managed to take down a thrush that had landed on the forest floor. The thrush had squawked in surprise and alarmed every other prey in the forest. But it was big enough to feed the elders without having to take extra prey from the fresh-kill pile. Her tail was raised with pride as she padded alongside Stormtail.

In the end the Clan had been impressed when they returned to camp. It was well past sunhigh by the time they came back. Maplefur was the first to approach her sister, giving her a warm praise before she joined the sunhigh patrol. Stormtail gave the parting patrol a nod before he dropped his fresh-kill on the pile.

It was only until he finished the squirrel that he had chosen that he realized Grainwhisker was standing beside the medicine cat's den. The bale brown tom's eyes were solemn as he called Stormtail over. When he swallowed the last bit of squirrel he bounded towards the medicine cat.

"Anything happen?" he asked.

"Owlpaw wanted to talk with you." Grainwhisker's voice was grim, as if he had just witnessed something terrible.

_He's awake at last_, Stormtail thought joyfully. His joy was quickly replaced by dread when he followed Grainwhisker into the den.

Owlpaw was sitting up now, despite the injuries he must have felt. His eyes were bright and focused as he met Stormtail's gaze. He wasn't the same go-happy apprentice that he had been before the attack.

"You wanted to see me," Stormtail mewed when silence fell upon the den.

"Nightpaw told me you wanted to know what happened at the border," Owlpaw replied with a shrug. Even that seemed to hurt the apprentice- he winced at the sudden movement despite his best effort to remain calm. "The only thing I can remember hearing is that they said I looked like Quailfeather. They wanted any... memory of her wiped out from ThunderClan." A shudder coursed down the apprentice's spine.

"Why would they want that?" Nightpaw asked.

"They said she had something they wanted..." Owlpaw's eyes clouded over in pain before he coughed. Stormtail placed his tail on the apprentice's shoulder. He wished there was something he could do to ease the young cat's pain.

"Did you recognize any of these cats?" Stormtail whispered.

Owlpaw's eyes clouded over once more. Stormtail was afraid he would pass out before he had a chance to explain. "They all carried WindClan scent," he gasped. "One of them had sharper claws than Flareheart. I thought for sure I was going to die when I saw them."

A shudder coursed down Stormtail's spine. He didn't recognize the description. It sounded as though a cat from the original BloodClan had come back to haunt the Clans.

_And those stories were horrible enough without the claws and teeth_, he thought.

The apprentice had fallen asleep again. Nightpaw sighed and placed more herbs on his shoulders and chest. Grainwhisker simply shook his head. He looked more frightened than ever. Stormtail turned to face the medicine cat, his eyes bright with curiosity.

"Did you recognize any of those descriptions?" he asked. If any cat recognized them Grainwhisker would.

"I've... I've never heard of such things before," Grainwhisker admitted. "I recall hearing stories of rogues who would often sharpen their claws against the stone to make them longer and more lethal. The fact that cats like these exist frightens me."

Stormtail looked down at his paws. He knew that Owlpaw's description would help him in the long-run. The apprentice had been vague in who had caused the attack, but the long claws he mentioned might help. He would start searching by asking cats from the Clan if they knew a warrior who did this.

* * *

**AN: I was thinking of making this chapter longer, but I couldn't figure out what else to add. And yes, we finally see Owlpaw wake up after he was brutally attacked. He is a changed apprentice... Anyways, thanks to Nicki Anne and warpedwasp for reviewing! These reviews make me happy knowing that readers are enjoying the story :)**


	6. 5: Signs of Strength

Chapter 5- Signs of Strength

Morning arrived far too quickly for Stormtail. He opened his eyes slowly at first, unsure whether or not it was safe to see what was going on outside. Owlpaw had been allowed outside the medicine cat's den the following night for the first time in days. Though the apprentice had acted so strange earlier, he seemed perfectly fine now. It was as if all of his troubles had been washed away when he told the medicine cat what had happened to him.

When Stormtail looked across the hollow clearing he saw that the apprentices were getting ready for battle training. Dawnpaw and Songpaw were sitting together waiting for their mentors. Owlpaw stood apart from them, his pelt bristling every now and than while he waited for Flareheart.

_I hope Flareheart doesn't shirk on his work_, Stormtail thought with a lash of his tail.

The dark ginger warrior had been shocked when he realized his apprentice had survived the attack. Stormtail had expected Flareheart to feel joyful that his apprentice was alive. Now he could see tension between the pair as Flareheart approached the young tom. Owlpaw stiffened when he watched his mentor carefully. Stormtail hoped that nothing would go wrong with Flareheart's training. It would only raise suspicion within the Clan.

He shook his head when the two cats left the clearing. Splashfur's kits were playing outside the nursery, tumbling over one another as they fought over a piece of moss. Leafkit was the biggest kit in Splashfur's litter. His gray and black fur was ruffled as he kept his sister Willowkit at bay. Stormtail watched on in amusement as he wondered what it was like for a mother to keep an eye on her kits. Cinderleaf's kits were too young to leave the nursery just yet. They had been born just a moon before Quailfeather's mysterious death.

Stormtail was surprised to see Rainstar emerge from her den. Her silvery gray fur was smoothed down after a good grooming. She looked down at the camp and climbed the Highledge until she reached the bottom. He stiffened when her pelt brushed against his.

"You're doing well as my deputy," she murmured.

"I still haven't figured out who killed Quailfeather though," Stormtail muttered. "I promised that I would find out who did it."

"And you will in time," Rainstar replied. Her voice was strong and clear as she spoke. "Our Clan is strong enough to know when to back down from a fight... but we work together as a whole to keep up our strength."

Her words made no sense to Stormtail. It sounded as if she had repeated herself, yet it also sounded like she was speaking in riddles. Stormtail shook his head in confusion. He never understood why his mother tried to explain things when she knew that he wouldn't figure it out.

"Now there is something I want you to do for me," Rainstar meowed after silence fell upon them. "I want you to take Gingerheart and Winterfur to the WindClan border. I know that Eaglestar is up to no good, and I want him to know that we are aware of it." She blinked before she approached the fresh-kill pile. Raventail and Graywhisker greeted her in surprise when she grabbed a mouse from the pile.

_Rainstar is acting like the leader I once knew again_, Stormtail thought happily.

This was how his mother had acted before she became deputy of ThunderClan. At the time he had been an apprentice when she was named deputy. When she became ThunderClan's deputy she had taken on a more serious roll for her Clan. Now she was more eager to show how strong ThunderClan was than to lay on the sidelines like the other Clans.

He wondered why she had chosen him to travel with Winterfur and Gingerheart. Though they were close there were better cats to choose. He would have chosen Paleflower or Maplefur to come with him if he had the chance to ask them.

With a shake of his fur Stormtail approached the warrior's den. Gingerheart and Winterfur were still fast asleep despite the day's rising temperature. Stormtail nudged his two friends awake and left the den to groom his own unkempt fur. Winterfur was the first to emerge from the den. Her pure white fur seemed to glow a brilliant orange in the sunlight as she sat down beside him.

"Sorry I slept in," she murmured.

"You didn't," he meowed reassuringly. "Rainstar wants us to patrol the WindClan border," he explained after Gingerheart emerged from the den.

"Why us? It's not like we've done anything special," Winterfur retorted.

"It's about Owlpaw and Quailfeather again, isn't it?" Gingerheart's question caught Stormtail off guard.

He looked down at his paws when he realized that she was right. Guilt suddenly washed over Stormtail as he led them out of camp. Gingerheart seemed to know what he was thinking before anything was said and done. Her ginger fur brushed against his as they moved side-by-side. Winterfur was at the back, her tail swaying from side to side in her usual enthusiasm.

"Rainstar's worried about the way Eaglestar has been acting," Stormtail admitted when they passed a few birch trees. A sparrow was hopping from one branch to another. It was tantalizingly close. He knew that one leap and the sparrow would be within his grasp.

"If she's worried than she should have sent stronger warriors... no offense," Gingerheart meowed when his fur began to bristle.

"I think she just wants to show WindClan that we're not about to give up so easily," he growled.

Gingerheart fell silent after that. Stormtail regretted his choice of words when he realized that he had offended her. Only Winterfur seemed oblivious to their short argument as she bounded ahead. The clearing loomed ahead of them, and beyond that was the open territory that Stormtail dreaded.

_I don't know how WindClan cats can stand it_, he thought as he looked on. _I don't like the openness WindClan territory provides_... _nor do I enjoy hunting rabbits all day_.

He thought back to the times when he used to wonder what it was like in the other Clans. From the stories he heard ShadowClan liked the dark, swampy marsh. They had a taste for frogs and lizards, while RiverClan cats enjoyed the streams where they could fish and swim. He shuddered at the idea of swimming. He wasn't built for that, with the thick fur and heavily built muscles that he had.

"It seems quiet enough," Winterfur mewed as she checked every boulder or bush she could find.

"They're waiting for us to make a move," Gingerheart murmured. The fear in her voice was showing. Stormtail placed his tail on her shoulder comfortingly.

"We'll be ready for them," he promised.

Gingerheart met his gaze and nodded. Her claws dug into the ground determinedly as she followed him back towards the forest. Winterfur was quick to take the lead as she bounded through the undergrowth. The white she-cat's enthusiasm never seemed to fade as she chased and took down a squirrel.

Stormtail wished that he could share her enthusiasm. He could never leave the tense atmosphere that WindClan had created. Now that he had promised to find out who killed Quailfeather it was a never ending battle of tension. Gingerheart was the only one who could soothe that tension, but there were times when he needed to let it go.

"Well caught," he purred when Winterfur came back with the squirrel clamped between her jaws.

"I think even the squirrels are becoming more active now," Gingerheart commented when another jumped across a branch from above. Leaves and broken twigs scattered around the forest floor after it landed easily on the other branch of an oak tree.

"Must be nice to be able to climb like that," he meowed wistfully.

"We could name you Squirreljump or something like that," Winterfur purred.

Stormtail couldn't help but _mrrrow_ with laughter. He didn't know what to say to that. Winterfur's eyes glowed before she turned and led the way back to camp. Gingerheart's pelt brushed against his before he followed the pair of she-cats.

When they returned Winterfur dropped the squirrel on the fresh-kill pile. Stormtail was still surprised to see that Rainstar was sitting under the Highledge. Her eyes were cast upon the Clan as cats left for the sunhigh patrol. She looked back at Stormtail as he approached her warily.

"There's no sign of WindClan around the border," he told her.

"That worries me," Rainstar murmured. "The Clan is becoming less active around the border unless it comes to younger cats... what could they be planning?"

Stormtail tilted his head to one side in confusion.

"Either way we will have to keep an eye on them. ShadowClan have not been as pushy as our other neighbor," she added. "And despite all of this mess, I believe it is time for two kits to become apprentices."

Stormtail looked at her in surprise. He had forgotten that Splashfur's kits were almost six moons old. It seemed like it was too early for them to become apprentices, yet they were more than ready. He could see both kits now looking for something to do while their mother slept under the shade of the nursery.

"Have you chosen mentors for them?" he asked.

"I have, and here they come," Rainstar replied with a wave of her tail. Stormtail was even more surprised when Paleflower and Sagetail approached them. The two warriors looked like they were ready to leave for a Gathering rather than joining an apprentice ceremony.

"You called for us?" Sagetail rasped when he dipped his head respectfully to Rainstar. Stormtail noticed that the light brown tabby was oblivious to his presence. Annoyance flared within Stormtail. The senior warrior was making it obvious of who he approved and who he disliked.

"I am holding an apprentice ceremony for Leafkit and Willowkit," Rainstar explained in a whisper. "Their ceremony is long-overdue and we need more apprentices to show our strength. You two will be their mentors. I trust your knowledge to teach them wisely."

Sagetail looked shocked that Rainstar would have suggested such a thing. He dipped his head once more before leaving. Only Paleflower remained, her eyes wide and bright with happiness.

"Thank you, Rainstar," she purred. "I never had the chance to mentor an apprentice... it would be nice to know what it is like."

Rainstar nodded and waved her tail for her to leave. Stormtail was quick to follow Paleflower. Gingerheart and Maplefur were sitting with their father, Flareheart, who had just returned with Owlpaw. The young apprentice looked as though nothing had happened during his training. Stormtail wanted to speak with Owlpaw before he went out again tomorrow about his attacker. Maybe being more awake would help Stormtail get a better understanding of who he was dealing with.

"Let all cats old enough gather around the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Rainstar's meeting call rang throughout the hollow. Cats who were talking hushed themselves so that they could hear what she had to say. "It is time for one of my favorite duties. By naming apprentices we show that our Clan will remain strong through these dark times." Squeals of excitement followed her words as Splashfur herded her kits out of the nursery. Stormtail struggled not to purr in amusement. Splashfur's kits were going to be a pawful for their mentors. "Leafkit, until you have received your warrior name you will be known as Leafpaw. Sagetail, you are ready for an apprentice. You have already mentored Maplefur into a fine warrior, and I expect you to do the same with Leafpaw."

The light brown tabby's eyes glowed with happiness and pride as he touched noses with Leafpaw. Stormtail hoped that by having an apprentice Sagetail would get over his frustration with the new deputy.

"Willowkit, until you have received your warrior name you will be known as Willowpaw. Paleflower, you are ready for an apprentice. You have not yet had an apprentice to train, yet you have shown that you have courage and bravery that most warriors do not. I expect you to pass on you knowledge to Willowpaw."

Willowpaw seemed more annoyed than happy to have received Paleflower as her mentor. The dappled gray and black kit touched noses with her mentor before she was taken back to the crowd.

"Leafpaw! Willowpaw!" The Clan cheered their names like they would for a warrior or deputy ceremony. Stormtail joined in until the meeting drew to an end.

By that time he was already exhausted from all of the running he had done all day. It was close to dusk and he knew that the patrols had already been organized. With a sigh and a yawn, he padded back to the warrior's den to get some rest. Tomorrow he would ask Owlpaw what had really happened at the WindClan border.

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**AN: Ya know, I'm really annoyed right now. I saw on my story review that five people have alerted this story. FIVE people who are not reviewing. Seriously, could you please leave a review? Thanks to warpedwasp for actually taking your time to review. You've earned a Willowpaw and Leafpaw plushie :)**


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